The band's early work drew influence from Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division. After signing with the British record label 4AD in 1982, they released their debut album Garlands later that year. The addition of Raymonde in 1983 solidified their final lineup, which produced their biggest hit in the UK, "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops", peaking at No. 29 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1988, Cocteau Twins signed with Capitol Records in the United States, distributing their fifth album, Blue Bell Knoll, through a major label in the country. After the 1990 release of their most critically acclaimed album, Heaven or Las Vegas, the band left 4AD for Fontana Records, where they released their final two albums.
After nearly 20 years together, the band disbanded in 1997 in part due to issues stemming from the disintegration of Fraser and Guthrie's romantic relationship. In 2005, the band announced that they would reunite to headline Coachella and embark on a world tour but the reunion was cancelled a month later after Fraser refused to perform on stage with Guthrie. In a 2021 interview, Raymonde confirmed that Cocteau Twins "will never reform".
Evangeline
Cocteau Twins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Define you know who you are at every age
What impression am I making?
I see me as other people see me
There is no going back
I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again (x2)
I had to fantasize
I was a princess, mum and dad were queen and king
I ought to have what feeling?
I see me as other people see me
There is no going back, I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again (x2)
There's no going back, I can't stop feeling now
Feeling now
There is no going back, I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again (x2)
There's no going back, I can't stop feeling now
I had to fantasize
Just to survive
I was a famous artist everybody took me seriously
Even those who did
Never understood me
I had to fantasize just to survive
The lyrics of Cocteau Twins' song "Evangeline" are introspective and thought-provoking. The singer is reflecting on the idea of identity and how others perceive them at different stages in their life. The lines "Sorrow - for letting someone else define you know who you are at every age" suggest that the singer is reflecting on the impact that other people's opinions have had on shaping their sense of self. The repetition of the line "I see me as other people see me" reflects a sense of detachment from their own identity and a concern with how they are perceived by others.
The chorus, "There is no going back, I can't stop feeling now, I am not the same, I'm growing up again" speaks to the idea of personal growth and change. The singer acknowledges that they are not the same person they once were and that they are constantly evolving. The repeated line "I can't stop feeling now" suggests that this growth is accompanied by a heightened emotional awareness.
The second verse sees the singer reflecting on the role that fantasy has played in their life. The lines "I had to fantasize, I was a princess, mum and dad were queen and king, I ought to have what feeling?" suggest a need for escape and a desire for a sense of belonging. The last verse "Just to survive, I was a famous artist everybody took me seriously, even those who did, never understood me, I had to fantasize just to survive" speaks to the power of imagination as a coping mechanism.
Overall, "Evangeline" is a deeply introspective and emotional song that explores themes of identity, growth, and survival.
Line by Line Meaning
Sorrow - for letting someone else define you know who you are at every age
Regret over allowing other people to shape your sense of self throughout your life
What impression am I making? I see me as other people see me
Questioning the image projected to others and seeing oneself from an external perspective
There is no going back, I can't stop feeling now. I am not the same, I'm growing up again (x2). There's no going back, I can't stop feeling now
Accepting that change is inevitable and progress requires experiencing emotions, and that there is no way to reverse this process
I had to fantasize. I was a princess, mum and dad were queen and king. I ought to have what feeling? I see me as other people see me
Being forced to create a different reality in order to cope, imagining a royal family and questioning the emotions that arise from seeing oneself through the lens of others
Just to survive. I was a famous artist everybody took me seriously. Even those who did never understood me. I had to fantasize just to survive
Creating a false persona in order to survive in a world where one's true self is not understood or accepted by others
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elizabeth Fraser, Robin Guthrie, Simon Raymonde
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brittneyspearsgod67
[Verse 1]
Sorrow for letting someone else define you
Know who you are at every age
What impression am I making?
I see me as other people see me
[Chorus]
There is no going back
I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
I am not the same
I'm growing up again
There's no going back, I can't stop feeling now
[Verse 2]
I had to fantasize
I was a princess, Mum and Dad were Queen and King
I ought to have what feeling?
I see me as other people see me
[Chorus]
There is no going back
I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
I am not the same
I'm growing up again
There's no going back, I can't stop feeling now
Feeling now
Chorus]
There is no going back
I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
I am not the same
I'm growing up again
There's no going back, I can't stop feeling now
[Verse 3]
I had to fantasize
Just to survive
I was a famous artist
Everybody took me seriously
[Verse 4]
Even those who did
Not invest in me
I had to fantasize
Just to survive
@JonDan
Sorrow for letting someone else
Define you know who you are at every age
What impression am I making?
I see me as other people see me
There is no going back, I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
There's no going back, I can't stop feeling now
I had to fantasize
I was a princess, Mum and Dad were queen and king
I ought to have what feeling?
I see me as other people see me
There is no going back, I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
There's no going back, I can't stop feeling now
Feeling now
There is no going back, and I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
There's no going back I can't stop feeling now
I had to fantasize
Just to survive
I was a famous artist
Everybody took me seriously
Even those who didn't
Were not close to me
I had to fantasize
Just to survive
@22Phantasm
I will never say anything negative about this band, because there is nothing negative to say about this band.
@Nibb9
I'm 500% behind your comment. The band of my life !
@777pusher
Nibb9 agreed!!! I’m 50 and to me, there has never been anything close, and the way music is headed these days, there never will be anything that compares.
@tarutsegoviachinga5626
the only negative, they broke up! :(
@PipeChoir
Awesome comment!
@777pusher
tarut segovia chinga How far would you travel, and how much would you pay, to see them in one, and only one reunion show?🤔🤔🤔
I’d sell the farm I don’t own! But I work for an airline, so travel is no issue😜😜
@soundseeker63
Who needs drugs when you've got Cocteau Twins? Instant bliss, floating in the clouds, her voice is otherworldly.
@Intoxicated4768
+soundseeker63 Their music is even better when your on them.
@lilteddiursa
+Sam Lopez While I don't do any drugs anymore, I can agree with this. One of my favourite pastimes in my teens was smoking a joint and leaving Four Calendar Cafe or Blue Bell Knoll on :)
@pickledegg1989
^If Hank Hill listened to Cocteau Twins.